P.S.

I love you mommy.  This the way Nate looks at me when he tells me this.  I melt.

Katie's visit

My lovely older sister came out for a visit over Thanksgiving.  We had a great time chatting, hiking, baking, playing with the kiddos and just being girls.

I will let the photos do the talking. :) 

A view of a beautiful rainbow on our way to the airport to pick up Katie.  I had at least one hand on the wheel!  

My big helpers

Early Christmas presents from Aunt Katie.  

On the Rubicon trail.  Gorgeous views on a beautiful day!  

I tried to get her to jump in, but she wouldn't do it. But hey, neither would I!

My little girl is intent on jumping off high places!  Gotta keep a constant grip on that one.  I wonder if that is prophetic about her teenage years.... oh dear.

Sister shot!

Group silly shot... don't fall in daddy!

Our lunch location.

At the bottom of Eagle falls

Ain's she purty?

Chloe was a trooper until the end when she started getting cold.  Katie loaned her her sweatshirt.  

And brother gave her a warm hug.

 Lots of cooking together!

Read me just one more book, Aunt Katie!

Nate helping Chloe with her sunnies.  

Down at the water on our Skunk Harbor Hike.

Loading them back up for the hike back.  We thought we had lost a boot and a phone on this hike... but thankfully found both!!  

 On the hike back up the hill!  Katie is a haus for carrying this guy.

Cuties on the rocks.

My kids are so blessed to have such wonderful loving aunts and uncles on both sides of the family!

Cheers to a great time together!

Thanks for coming out to visit Katie.  We had such a great time with you and the kids adore you.  You are such a special Auntie!

Thanksgiving 2012

We had a wonderful time celebrating Thanksgiving this year with friends AND family. :)  My older sister came out from Texas to be with us and it made that day that much sweeter.

We started out by attending a Jazzercise class that morning.  You've got to huff and puff before you stuff they say. :)

Then we came home and in a beautiful frenzy created quite a few delicious concoctions.  Then we headed up to the Holmes' house, Joe's boss, for dinner, a walk to the beach to play football and watch the sunset, and back for games.

I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking... and there are quite a few of them.  (Most photo credits go to Bonnie Holmes)

Raspberry Swirl Mini Cheesecakes,,, check.  

The gangs all here! I think I had just taken a bite... hence the weird smile.

This girl ended up sleeping through the entire Thanksgiving dinner.  And then woke up happy playing with mommy's bras that she can reach from her pack n play.

Beautiful sunset

Joe ran to the top of the hill to get the full effect.  Gorgeous.

Sara had some great presentation!

Yum!  I have to make a dozen extra for my husband when I make these.

Goober.

Bonnie, his first crush.

My cooking buddy! Yes, there was a Starbucks holiday drink involved.

Aunt Katie and I and Nate heading out to watch the sun go down.

My beautiful girl.

Cheese!

Get him!  Two below... come on lets go!

Sporting a pretty skirt.

When you gotta go, you gotta go.

The group.

My sweetie.  Oh how thankful and grateful I am for this man!!!!

Totally in love.

Cuties.

It changes colors so quickly.

While playing games... I think he was in the lead.

Giggles.

Keeping score.

Probably playing Angry Birds.

I love playing cards.

Nate comes around the corner and says, "Chloe has a dirty DIRTY face."  She apparently found some unattended chocolate.  It was a late night. :)

I have so much to be grateful for.  I have been incredibly blessed.

I wanted to leave you with a quote.

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.  It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.  Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." Melody Beattie